UCMSammie

[ucmsammie]

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday to Freshman orientation in the summer of 2013. I met these student that summer and still remain friends with them. During orientation, we got our “Let the Journey Begin” shirt, which is given to every incoming Freshman. It is used to symbolize the journey through college. 

As a whole Freshman class we walked across the Scholars Lane Bridge and through the New Beginnings Statue. After the march we attended workshops, as well as picked our class schedules for the Fall. 

It was fun to meet the new students and to begin to make lasting friendships. 

[ucmsammie]

Choosing to Apply To College After High School

Senior year is probably your most important year. Not only is it your last year of high school, it is also the year that you begin to think about your future. After graduation, many students decide to go to college, whether it is a two-year or four-year school. Some decide to take a year off then go to school. And others decide to skip college completely, take the GED and go straight into the workforce. It all depends on the individual student and their situation. For me, I chose to go to college after graduating. 

I started thinking about college in my junior year. Initially, I had planned to go to a two-year college then transfer to a four-year school because I wasn’t sure yet what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to stay in California, so I thought I would go to Santa Barbara Community College then transfer to UC Santa Barbara. I thought I had a legit plan. 

My mom supported my decision, but she was not 100% on board with it because she wanted me to attend a four-year college straight out of high school. She suggested that I tour some state schools and some out-of-state schools just in case. But she wouldn’t make me apply to a school I wasn’t interested in. I thought that was fair, so I agreed with her. 

For spring break my junior year, my mom and I went on a college road trip across California and over to Arizona. UC Merced was one of the schools I visited, and I liked it a lot. The environment seemed very warm and friendly. And I really did like the fact that it was such a small school, but growing. I based my decision on whether I liked a school or not on the "vibe" I got when I was on campus. And I felt a good vibe from UC Merced, as well as some other campuses I toured. After visiting nine schools, I changed my mind and decided it would actually be cool to apply to schools to see if I got in. 

To me, the application process was pretty straightforward. I made an account for the CSU Mentor website, which was basically the common app for CSU schools. I also made an account for the UC application system so I could apply to UC Merced.

I was able to construct my resume with help from my mom. Luckily, I had prior volunteer and internship experience I could put on there so it wasn't completely empty. It made me feel a little more professional when I had my resume completed. 

The personal statement was intimidating at first. I didn't know what to write. But I soon realized that the essay was just supposed to be about me. The UC required me to write two personal statements, but after getting advice, I was able to complete them pretty quickly. I also collected two or three recommendations from my favorite high school teachers and was able to send those in along with my application. 

In the end, I learned that if you start ahead of time before the due date, you will not be so stressed. I think the most stressful time for me was waiting on the decisions from the schools I applied to.

[ucmsammie]

10 Reasons Why You Should Apply to UCMerced

1. New Campus

- UCMerced opened in 2005 so it is a fairly new UC campus.

- We are supposed to be the biggest UC campus when it is completely built with the least amount of students.

- Since our campus is new, and still growing, the students play a big role in shaping the campus.

 2. We offer over 200 clubs and organizations

- You can visit our website to see the different clubs and organizations available to students http://studentlife.ucmerced.edu/content/clubs-orgs

- We pretty much any club you would want.

- You can start your own club or organization!

 3. Safety

- UCMerced is an extremely safe campus.

- We have our own University of California police station on campus.

- The majority of students who attend UCM agree that the campus is friendly and safe.

- We have blue emergency light polls located all around campus. If for any reason anyone feels unsafe, they can press a button on that post and a UC Merced officer will be there to assist you people within minutes.

 4. Cattracks

- UCMerced bus system.

- Transports students to and from campus and around the city of Merced.

- Free to all UC Merced students, faculty and staff.

- Currently have 9 different routes around Merced.

- Convenient way to travel around the city.

 5. Majors

- One thing that separates UC Merced from other UC campuses is that our majors are not impacted.

- This is an advantage because students are able to choose the major they want.

- A list of our majors can be found on our website at: http://www.ucmerced.edu/academics-undergraduate-majors-minors

 6. Study Abroad

- UCMerced offers a fantastic study abroad program for any major. You can travel to pretty much any country you want to go to.

- Most Financial Aid does transfer over.

- We have a study abroad office on campus where students can get help with their applications or get questions answered that they may have.

- You can find more information about our study abroad program on our website at: http://studyabroad.ucmerced.edu

8. Financial Aid/Scholarships

- More than 80% of our students receive some form of Financial Aid.

- If you earn less than $80,000 a year you can qualify for the Blue and Gold Scholarship, which pays for tuition.

- Visit our website for more information at: http://financialaid.ucmerced.edu

 9. Study Body/Professors

- Student body is friendly and kind. Since it is a small campus most students know each other and are very welcoming.

- Professors are encouraging and are always willing to help. They are always here to answer questions. Some even give out their number so students can contact them on the weekends in case they need help on an assignment.

- They both create a safe and confident learning atmosphere.

 10. Jobs

- Most jobs on campus are student run. UC Merced has a job for every department.

- Fairly easy to get a job because there are so many job opportunities on campus.

- Easy application process, which can be filled out online.

- We have departments on campus that will help you get ready for interviews too.

 I hope you find these 10 reasons useful when considering to apply to UC Merced. Remember, the application is open now until November 30th. Feel free to the Admissions Office for any questions you may have.

Email: [email protected]

[ucmsammie]

Living Off Campus

There are many perks to living off campus. You gain more freedom, independence and responsibility. You get personal space and privacy. And for you pet lovers out there, you get to bring your dog, cats or other animals from home to come live with you.

Living off campus is a different experience than living on campus. When you live off campus you do not have a Resistant Assistant telling you what to do. You gain a lot more independence and responsibility too. For example, you are 100% in charge of your bills. When you live on campus, you don’t have to worry about paying electricity, monthly rent, or Internet and cable bills on time. Everything is paid for when you pay for tuition. It’s hard to get used to at first if you aren’t used to paying bills, but after a month or two you will start to get in the habit of paying them by their due dates. Having roommates reduces the cost of bills you have to pay, so I highly recommend doing that. I have had the same roommate for two years now. We split the bills we are in charge of, then pay each other back for the bills we don’t have under our names.

When most people live off campus, they usually get a house or apartment with their own room. This is a perk because you get personal space and more privacy. You do not have to worry about people using your stuff and if you need alone time, you can easily get it. I personally like living off campus and having my own space. After a long day of school and work I like to come home and go to my room for a bit. It is hard to do that when you live on campus and someone else is constantly in your room and space too.

Since I live off campus, my dog is allowed to live with me too. I think this is a perk, and to anyone who has a loved animal at home, I am sure you would like this too.

If you live off campus, you have to find a way to get to campus. Some students bring their cars from home and commute to campus every day. Other students rely on CatTracks to get them to and from school. Most CatTracks routes are designed to pass through the major student residential areas and apartment complexes in Merced, so it is fairly easy to get where you need to go. Some students even walk or ride their bikes or skateboards to campus.

When you don’t have the DC cooking for you, you are in charge of buying food and making your own meals. Raley’s is a popular store where off-campus students shop. We also have a SaveMart, FoodMaxx and Food 4 Less in Merced. Also, there is a Costco on the other side of Merced, where students like to go and stock up on food. If you do not have a car, CatTracks can take you to the stores.

As you can see, living on and off campus both have their perks. They both come with a lot of responsibility and give you the opportunity to grow. Your life in college is what you make of it, and it starts off by deciding where you want to live. If you have anymore questions about living on or off campus feel free to contact me on my social media accounts. I currently have a Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat account. My user name is @ucmsammie for all my accounts. 

For housing questions you can also contact the UC Merced Housing Office at [email protected]. Or for questions about admissions you can email [email protected]

Good luck with your college applications guys! Feel free to contact us at any time!

[ucmsammie]

Living On Campus

Going to college is exciting because you are starting a new chapter in your life. These are the years where you become an adult and start to become more independent. Part of being independent is learning how to live on your own. Until now, most of you have probably lived at home, where you have had family members or family friends taking care of you. Now that you are in college, you are going to have to take care of yourself 100% of the time.

When you go to college, you have the opportunity of either living on- or off campus. Both choices are great and require you to be independent, but there are differences between the two. Some students choose to live on campus their first year, then move off campus. Other students choose to live off campus and not live on campus at all. And some students even choose to live on campus the entire time they’re in college. It depends on you and what you feel the most comfortable doing.

Living on campus is very convenient. You do not have to worry about being late to class, you still do not have to cook meals for yourself, and you are surrounded by people 24/7. It is one of the best ways to meet new friends, and it is also extremely safe. I lived on campus for my first year, and I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable walking around campus, even at night.

There are six residence halls at UC Merced. Each hall is different, but they share similar features. All residence halls have kitchens, washers and dryers, computer labs, study rooms and lounges, mailboxes and a housing office. When you are a resident on campus, you have access to The Den, a rec room/game room. There is a marketplace on the bottom floor of one of the residence halls, which stays open late for both resident and nonresident students.

Each residence hall has four resident assistants (RAs) on each floor. RAs are students who are second-year and above who have shown great leadership. They are there for you if you need anything. Each month, they arrange floor meetings so everyone can meet each other and possibly make new friends.

Another benefit of living on campus is the dining center (DC). There are three meal plans students can choose from. Students purchase meals using their school ID card, which is also known as your CatCard. Even though the meal plan is only available to resident students, day students can still purchase food from the DC with cash or credit card. The DC tries to be accommodating to all students. When the main dining center is closed, a small dining service stays open until midnight and during the middle of the day. The only time dining services and the marketplace close early is on Saturday nights. If you’re craving something other than what the DC offers, you can always drive or take CatTracks off campus.

CAB is our campus activities board, which organizes events for students throughout the year. Resident students are able to attend these events easily since they live right on campus. The CAB tires to organize small events each week, as well as bigger events on the weekends. Sometimes there are organized trips that resident students can take so they’re not stuck on campus the whole weekend.

[ucmsammie]

Exploring Merced Using Cattracks

Many of you guys are probably wondering how students get around Merced if they do not own or have access to a car. The answer is Cattracks!

Cattracks is UCMerced’s bus system that transports students to and from campus, as well as around Mered. Cattracks has different routes around Merced. If you do not own a car it is an easy and convenient way to get around the city.

There are currently nine different Cattrack routes that are available to students. In order to figure out what bus to take and what time the bus will arrive, students can visit the Cattrack website at: cattracks.ucmerced.edu.

Cattracks is free to any UCMerced student, staff or faculty member. All you have to do is show your Catcard to the bus driver when you get on the bus. I highly recommend using UCMerced’s Cattrack system. I have a car now, but I still use the bus to get to and from campus.

Upsides to taking Cattracks is that it is free, you do not have to worry about paying for gas, it is environmentally friendly, and if you plan wisely you will get to class on time and not waste time finding parking in the school lot. Cattracks will take you to make off campus events that our Campus Activity Board holds. Most routes are also designed to go through residential neighborhoods and apartment areas, so if you live off campus you will not have to worry about walking far to the next bus stop. Cattracks runs until 1:30am, so you shouldn’t get stranded in the middle of the night J And lastly, because only students, faculty and staff are aloud on the bus, it is fairly safe.

Hopefully this post gave you the details you needed about our great bus system. If you have anymore questions, feel free to contact the Admissions office at:

Admissions.ucmerced.edu

Thanks for reading guys!

[oh-the-things-i-have-seen]

[ucm-marissa]

Apply to #UCMerced!

Have any questions about UC Merced? Ask me anything! I’m here to help :)

[ucmsammie]

Visit our YouTube page to view our latest video about what to do after being accepted to UC Merced! Hope you find this helpful. Congratulations to everyone who got accepted

https://youtu.be/noC6KZYQOBQ

[ucmsammie]

Flat Rufus is on a whirlwind tour, traveling the country to offer congrats to students admitted to #UCMerced!

[ucmbecca]

#ucmadms

[johnharvey-photo-blog]

Merced

[kevleven]

The Heaven Above

[parkithere2]

Nice day today at UC Merced! #cherryblossoms #ucmerced

[topochiconanu]

UCM

[ucresearch]

This weekend marks the solstice. Above is a sunset from Yosemite National Park where students from UC Merced participate in a summer field research program. One of the projects they’re focusing on is local ecosystems and how last year’s Rim Fire affected plant populations. 

[brendaucmsfc]

UC Merced Then, Now, and Future. 

First picture is UC Merced in 2007.

Second is present day.

and the bottom is a picture of the way UC Merced should look once completed.  

This makes me so happy to go here and so excited for future generations to attend this UC.